How do I know if my major is right for me?

How do I know if the major I chose is right for me?

Choosing a major can be an overwhelming and daunting task, especially if you have no idea what you'd like to study. Sometimes, even well-intentioned friends, teachers, and parents can place undue pressure on you to select a particular area of study that may not be all that interesting to you.

There are a couple things to bear in mind as you begin thinking about a major. First, most schools don't expect you to declare a major until your second year of college. So you've got lots of time to weigh your options and explore your interests. It's also okay to change your major if you get into it and realize that you're just not cut out for the problem sets in chemistry or the amount of writing in English.

Second, you're investing a lot of money, time and energy into college, so you should choose a major that you both enjoy and can be applicable to a future career. If you really don't want to be a doctor and hate organic chemistry, then you probably shouldn't go premed. At the same time, if you're interested in being a psychologist, it doesn't make too much sense to major in something like economics.

In high school, you can start getting an idea of what you'd like to study just by paying attention to what classes are enjoyable and which subjects you'd like to examine more closely. Then in college you should try out a few electives in your potential areas of interest to see if any of them really click with you.

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